In-line roller skates continue to gain popularity, especially following the development of high friction, long wearing resilient materials such as urethane for the skate tires. In-line roller skates have substantial functional similarity to ice skates but are useful in nearly all climates. Further, the new tire materials enable relatively safe use of in-line roller skates on a variety of support surfaces. It is not uncommon to see such skates in use on concrete, asphalt, wood, composition floors, and even hard packed earth. Ice skates, on the other hand, are limited to use on ice or simulated ice surfaces.
Along with the development and popularity of in-line roller skates come challenges, among which are the need to maximize traction of the skates during turning, and to minimize friction during substantial straight line movement. This area has been a problem, especially since the skate tires are typically formed of solid material with a constant deflection characteristic regardless of the attitude of the wheel on straight line movement or in turns. Thus a skater desiring greater speed will choose a wheel that will produce minimum ground contact and thus minimal drag. Maneuverability is sacrificed with this type of wheel configuration. Likewise a skater desiring maneuverability will choose a wheel that will maximize ground contact to thus allow greater traction in turns.
Competitions often require both straight line speed and maneuverability in turns. The competitive skater must thus choose a design that has neither optimum speed or maneuverability characteristics, but an average of both. A need is thus realized by in-line skaters for skate tires and wheels that will have improved straight line speed and cornering abilities.
With all the similarities between ice skating and in-line roller skating, one aspect remains substantially different. To slow or stop on ice skates, the skater may simply skid sideways. To date, this method of stopping has not been easily accomplished by in-line roller skaters, at least by the inexperienced.
In-line skate wheel tires do not skid sideways on a hard support surface in the same way blades will skid over ice. In view of this, in-line roller skates typically have stationary brake pads at the heels or toes of the skate frames. In-line skaters stop by using the braking methods familiar to four wheel roller skaters; by engaging and dragging the brake pads along the support surface. This is awkward, difficult and often dangerous to learn, especially for novice in-line skaters. A need has therefore continued for in-line skates with improved "skid" type braking capabilities.
In consideration of the above problems, the present invention has for a first objective to provide an in-line skate wheel assembly that will maximize both speed and handling in turns.
Another objective is to provide such a skate wheel assembly that will enable "skid" type stopping in a manner similar to such stopping maneuvers available in ice skating.
These and further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification which, taken with the drawings describe the presently preferred mode for carrying out the present invention.